wallace



5 SheetsSheet 1.

(No' Model.)

J. S. WALLACE. VENDING APPARATUS.

vg -Pa.tented Dec. 23, 1890.

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2 t w. h S m Ow h S 5 R mm AM WG m D m V (No Model.)

Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 3.

J. S. WALLACE.

VENDING APPARATUS.

No. 443,340. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

Q s e I".4. J 72! W uZ A (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. S. WALLACE.

VENDING APPARATUS.-

No. 443,340. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. s. WALL ACE. VENDING APPARATUS.

No. 443,340. I Patented'Deo.'23, 1890.

m Lmwm, WASHINGYON n c UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN STEIVART IVALLACE, OF BELFAST, IRELAND.

VENDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 443,340, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed August 23, 1889. Serial No. 321,803. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN STEWART \VAL- LACE, timber merchant, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Belfast, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

invention relates to apparatus for receiving payments and giving value in exchange therefor.

My i m proved apparat us isso constructed that the insertion of a coin therein permits the shooting of the said coin or of any other suitable missile or projectile at a target. The said target is preferably so arranged, in combination with mechanism for the delivery of cigarettes or other articles or for effecting other operations, that when, but not until, the coin is properly directed against and strikes or e11- ters the said target the said delivery mechanism will or may be operated. I usually provide a suitable box or case, in or at one end of which I fix the target. At the other end of the said box or case I provide a gun, cannon, or equivalent device for projecting or forcibly discharging the missiles or projectiles and directing the same at the target, but so constructed that the gun, cannon, or other device cannot be used or operated until one or more coins or their equivalents have been inserted into the apparatus.

I11 the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.

Figure 1 is a broken plan of my improved vending apparatus, partly in section. Figs. 2 and 2 together illustrate a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line 00 or; of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line y y of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line .2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 0 is a vertical longitudinal section of a moditied arrangement of devices for propelling the coin or other projectile. Fig. 7 is a detailed View.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

A is the box or case.

B is the slot or slit for inserting the coin or coins into the apparatus.

B is the coin-chute.

C C are the hoppers for containing the cigarettes or other articles to be delivered. D is the aperture through which the said cigarettes or other articles are delivered.

The portion A of the box or case A is preferably formed of glass or other transparent material. At the extremity of the said box or case A, opposite the hoppers O and upon a platform A provided in the said box or case, I provide a gun or cannon to, having a slit 1) of the requisite dimensions to permit a coin of the desired value passing vertically through the same. b is another slit, which, when the gun or cannon a is in its normal position, is situated directly underneath the coin-chute B. b is a guard or guide-plate to insure the said coin entering the slit Z).

The gun or cannon a is carried upon a carriage c, secured to a circular plate or turntable 0, pivoted at c to a standard 0 firmly secured to the box or case A. The said circular plate or turn-table c is arranged to turn freely in an opening provided for that purpose in the platform A. c are guides for steadying the motion of the said circular plate or turn-table, and c is an extension arranged to move in a recess A provided in the said platform A as more clearly shown in Fig. 7. In the said recess A the extension 0 can move through a suitable angle to permit the partial rotation of the turn-table c to effect the lat eral pointing or training of the gun or cannon.

(Z d are springs, which tend to maintain the gun or cannon ct in its normal position beneath the coin-chute B.

e is a handle carried upon a spindle 6, arranged to turn freely in suitable bearings in the extension 0 By moving the said handle 0 to the right or left the turn-table 0' can be turned or rotated through an are sufficient to provide for pointing or aiming the gun or cannon in a lateral direction. For the vertical pointing or aiming of the said gun or cannon I provide upon the spindle e a crank-arm f, coupled by means of a connecting-rod f with the short arm of a bell-crank lever g, pivoted at g to abracket 9 soon red to the platform A The other or long arm of the said bell-erank lever g is coupled by means of a connectingrod 71 to the breech of the gun or cannon. It will be seen that by turning the said handle 0 so as rotate the spindle 6' thereof in (113 or the other direction the breech of the gun or cannon a may be either raised or lowered through the action of the crank-arm f, connecting-rod f, bell-crank lever y, and connecting-rod 72 For vertical pointing or aiming, the breech is retained normally in its highest position by the spring (7/. a a are the sights for aiming or pointing the said gun or cannon u. A is a window provided in the end or extremity of the said box or case A, so as to enable the person operating the device to obtain a view of the said sights a a and of the targets hereinafter described, so as to conveniently aim the said gun or cannon.

For discharging or projecting the coin inserted into the breech, slit, or aperture Z) in the said gun or cannon, I provide a bell-crank lever 2', arranged to turn freely upon a shaft or spindle j, carried in the carriage c. The upper extremity or arm of the said bell-crank lever extends into the slit 7) through. an aperture provided in the gun or cannon a forthat purpose, and is formed, as hereinafter described, for discharging or forcibly propelling or projecting the said coin. The other or lower extrcmityor arm of the said bell-crank lever is formed forked. Each of the forks upon the said bell-crank lever 1 is provided with a pin or projection i", \vhichbear against the projecting portions of springs 7r, wound or coiled upon the said shaft or spindle j, the other extremities of which are firmly secured to the carriage e. Z is a coniiectingrod, by means of which the upper extremity or arm of the said bell-crank lever 2' is coupled to one extremity of alever m, pivoted at an to a bracket m secured to the box or case A.

a is a handle situated on the exterior of the box or case A. The handle 12 is firmly attached to or formed in one with a spindle a, supported in suitable bearings in the said case or box A, and in a bracket a secured thereto.

Upon the extremityof the spindle It is provided a disk 0, which is keyed or otherwise firmly secured upon the said spindle. o o are pins or projections tirmly secured to the said disk 0. The free extremity of the lever on extends into the path of the said pins or projections 0, so that when the disk 0 is retated through the medium of the handle 12 and spindle n in the direction indicated by the arrows, Figs. 3 and l, the said free extremity of the lever at will be raised by one or other of the said pins or projections o. The upper extremityor arm of thebell-crank lever 1 is formed of such a shape that under normal conditions the coin inserted into the slit 1) is supported upon one extremity of the rounded surface profiled upon the upper part of the said extrcmity or arm, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, z? isa cut-away portion or recess provided in the said upper extremity or arm, for the purpose hereinafter described.

\Yhen thegun or can non a has been properly sighted or aimed and it is desired to project or discharge the coin therefrom, the handle a is turned so as to raise the free extremity of the lever m by means of one or other of the pins or projections 0 upon the disk 0, as hereinbefore ment ioncd, and consequently depress the other extremity of the said lever, and through the connecting-rod l the upper extremity or arm of the bell-crank lever 1 so as to permit the coin to drop into the cut-away portion or recess i thereof. At the same time the springs 7,: are compressed by the pins 1i upon the lower forked extremity of the said bell-crank lever i. \Vheu the handle it is turned sufficiently to cause the pin or projection 0 upon the disk 0, which is in engagement with the free extremity of the lever 11?, to pass by and release the said free extremity of the lever on, the bell-crank lever 1' suddenly resumes its normal position under the action of the springs 7.", and the said coin is forcibly projected or discharged from the gun or cannon a through the slit 1).

In the raised portion of the box or case A, containing the hopper C, are provided suit;- abletargets p, the central points or bulls-eyes of which are formed by disks q, secured upon spindles q. \Vhen either of these disks (1 struck, so as to drive it inward, by a coin discharged or projected from the gun or cannon a, certain mechanism is released, as hereinafter described. The release of this mechanism permits the handle orpusl1-piecesr,situated at the same side of the apparatus as the disk that has been struck, to be operated for the delivery of a cigarette or other article from the hoppers C, with which it is connected.

s is a hoppersituated underneath the disks (1 and targets p for receiving the coins discharged or projected from the gun or cannon a. The hopper s communicates by means of a chute or inclined plane .5" with a money drawer or receptacle 1, provided in the box or case A.

For permitting the delivery of the articles from the hoppers C when the disks q are struck by a coin or projectile discharged or projected from the gun or cannon a, I prefer to construct the said hoppersin the following manner-that is to say, in the lower extremity of the said hoppers (j are provided apertures C, with which normally register slots 11/, formed in suitable slide-pieces a in such a manner that the lowermost cigarette or other article will always drop from each of the said hoppers and will rest in the said slots u, but will be prevented from falling through the same by the partition 20*, upon which the said slide-pieces a are carried. The said slidepieces 14 are connectedto thehandles or pushpieces r by means of stems or rods 1'. Marc apertures provided in the said partition a ICC IIO

which, when the slide-pieces a are moved by means of the handles or push-pieces r so as to cause the slots to in the said slide-pieces u to register therewith, will permit the articles contained in the said slots it to drop down through the apertures D to suitable trays D from which they can be conveniently removed by hand.

In order to prevent the said slide-pieces u from being operated by means of the handles or push-pieces 9' for the delivery of cigarettes or other articles from the hoppers C until the disks (1 have been struck by acoin discharged or projected from the gun or cannon, a, I provide upon the extremities of the said slidepieces u rods or stems '0. These rods or stems v pass through the walls of the hoppers G and normally bear against plates or shutters w, pivoted at w to blocks or brackets 10 attached to the partition if, so as to prevent the said slide-pieces u from being moved inward.

Behind the plates or shutters w are provided holes 20 which, when the said plates or shutters w are moved, as hereinafter .described, by the striking of the disks g by the coins or projectiles, allow the said rods or stems 1) to pass through the holes 10 in the blocks orbrackets 10 and the said slide-pieces L6 to be operated by means of the handles or push-pieces r for the delivery of cigarettes or other articles from the hoppers C.

V are springs for returning the slide-pieces it to their normal position after they have been operated for the delivery of cigarettes or other articles from the hoppers O.

\Vhen either one of the disks q is struck by a coin or projectile discharged or projected from the gun or cannon a, a plate or piece (1 provided upon the extremity of the spindle q of the said disk, is caused to strike against the plate or shutter 20 and remove it from the path of the rod or projection e. The slide-piece U can then be pushed inward by means of the handle or push-piece r and rod or stem r so as to cause the slot to to register with the aperture a in the partition a and thus allow the cigarette or other article contained in the slot to to drop from a fall to the aperture D and tray D. \Vhen pressure is removed from the handle or push-piece, the slide-piece u resumes its normal position under the action of the spring 1) and another cigarette or other article drops into the slot u from the hopper O. The rods or projections '1; pass through slots provided in the lower extremities of pieces 00, pivoted at ac to lugs 00 upon the side walls of the hoppers O.

U2 c are pins or studs upon the rods or stems c, which are adapted to bear against the pivoted pieces 06 when the said rods or stems are moved inward. 00 x are springs which bear against the upper extremities of the said pieces as, and which tend to maintain the lower extremities of the latter pressed against the pins or studs 0 y y are hookshaped pieces pivoted at 3 to the partition n and adapted when the said pivoted pieces a; are moved by the rods or stems '1; during the operation of the device to be actuated thereby, so as to be caused to bear against hook-shaped projections q", provided upon the pieces g and thus return the disks 1 to their normal position.

2 ,2 are plates provided in the bottom of the hoppers O. The plates 2 are pivoted at z to the said hoppers and are connected to the upper extremities of the pivoted pieces so by means of connecting-rods .2 which pass through suitable holes C provided in the walls of the hoppers O. The said plates care are thus slightly vibrated at each operation of the apparatus by the pivoted pieces 06, so as to shake up the cigarettes or other articles contained in the said hoppers, and obviate any chance of their sticking or jamming therein.

The box or case A is provided with suitable doors for permitting of access to the hoppers C and other parts of the apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus is as followsthat is to say, a coin of the proper value having been inserted through the coin slit or aperture B passes down the chute B, which may be provided with any suitable means for preventing fraud. The said coin drops into the slit 1) in the breech of the gun or cannon a. The said gun or cannon is then aimed or pointed at one of the disks (1 on the targets 1) by means of the handle 6, sights a, and the window A hen this is accomplished to the satisfaction of the operator, he discharges or projects the coin from the said gun or cannon in the manner hereinbefore described by turning the handle it. If the coin thus discharged or projected from the gun or cannon a strikes the said disk q so as to move it inward the operator is enabled to obtain the delivery of a cigarette or other article from the hopper 0, connected with the said disk g, by operating the handle or push-piece r in the manner hereinbefore described. The coins discharged or projected from the gun or cannon a drop into the hopper 8 and pass down the chutes to the money drawer or receptacle 25, from which they can be removed, when desired, by unlocking the said drawer or receptacle. Either of the disks q may be aimed at, and the operator may operate so as to strike both of them with coins discharged or projected from the gun or cannon a before operating the handles or pushpieces 1' for the delivery of the articles from the hoppers O. The said disks will not re turn to their normal or operative position until the said handles or push-pieces r are oper ated for the said delivery.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modification in which energy is stored up by means of an exterior handle, and the discharging device is arranged to be operated by the insertion of a coin of the requisite value into the apparatus. The gun or cannon a has arearward extension oi in which is arranged to slide or move freely a piston E, the stem F of which projects through the rear extremity of the said extension and is provided with a convenient handle F, by means of which the said piston can be operated. G is a spiral spring. II is a catch provided with a spring ll. I is a plate secured to the piston E, which normally closes the slit Z). \Vhen the piston E is drawn back by means of the handle F and stem F, the spiral spring G is thereby compressed and the piston E is retained in that position by the catch II, which engages therewith. The slit 1) is then open and if a coin of the proper value he inserted into the apparatus, so as to pull down the coin-chute and pass through the slit 1), it will strike against the said catch, thus depressing the latter, and release the piston E, which, under the action of the spring G, will be returned suddenly to its normal position, thus forcibly projecting or discharging the coin through the slit 7).

'What I claim is- 1. In a vendingapparatus, the combination, with the case A, the carriage c, the turn-table e, and the gun a, mounted upon said carriage and turn-table, of the rotary and swinging handle e, connected with the turn-table, the crank-arm f, connected with said handle, the rod f bell-crank g, and connecting-rod 7L for aiming the gun, substantially as described.

2. In a vending apparatus, the combination, with the case A, the gun (1, having slits Z) Z), and the gun-carriage 0, having aspindlej, of the bell-crank lever 2', mounted on said spindle and having pins 11' and recess i the springs 7t 7: to engage the pins 'i of said bellcrank,the lever m, the rod Z, connecting said lever with theupper arm of the bell-crank '1', the handle 21, having a spindle n, and the disk 0, mounted on said spindle and provided with pins 0' to engage the lever m, substantially as described.

In a vending apparatus, the combination of the hopper C, the target 19, having a movable disk q, provided with spindle q, the slide a, having slot at, the handle 7', attached to said slide, the partition a having aperture a, the rod 1:, having spring t", the bracket W72, having a hole 21: to receive the rod 1', and the plate or shutter 10, pivoted to said bracket over the hole 20 to prevent movement of the rod 'U and slide it until said shutter is moved by the spindle of the target-disk, substantially as described.

4. In a vending apparatus, the combination of the target 17, having a movable disk 1 provided with a spindle q, having at its end a piece 1 provided with hook q, the partition a hooks 3/, pivoted piece 00, rod 0, having pins t the slide a, and the handle 'r,substan tially as described.

5. In a vending apparatus, the combination of the hoppers or receptacles C, the pivoted plates .2, located in said hoppers, the pivoted pieces 90, the springsac, the rods z, the rods 1:, having pins b the slides a, and the handles 2', substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of; two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN STEWART XVALLACE.

'itnesses:

A. E. NIXON, A. II. DEUTH. 

